Inhaler



(No Model.) I

J. s. KINNEAR.

INHALER.

Patented Aug. 5, 1890.

lT/VESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN S. KINNEAR, OF GOLDEN, COLORADO.

INHALER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,597, dated August5, 1890.

Application filed February 26, 1890- Serial. No. 341,829. (No model.)

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. KINNEAR, a citizen of the United States,residingat Golden, in the-county of J efierson and State of 0010- rado,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Inhalers; and I dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will en able others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My. invention relates to a new and improved form of inhaler; and theobject of my improvement is to provide a device of the class statedadapted for the vaporization and volatilization of medicinal remediesand for the administration of the vapors of the same in a more or lessdiluted form, as may be desired, to the nasal passages as well as to thethroat and lungs, to produce an inhaler which shall be of simpleconstruction, economical in cost, easily and safely operated, reliable,durable, and efficient for the purpose intended.

To these ends myinvention consists of the features more particularlyhereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings is illustrated an embodiment of my invention, in whichdrawings- Figure 1 is aside elevation of my improved device; Fig. 2, avertical section taken through its center, a portion of the wall beingbroken away for lack of space; Fig. 3, an elevation of the piece of myimprovement adapted to fit over the nose; Fig. 4, a longitudinal sectionof the same.

In the views, the referencemumeral 1 designates a bucket or vessel ofsuitable size and material having walls 14. This bucket or vessel isprovided with ears '7 and a bail 8. The top 2 may be secured to vessel 1by soldering or in any suitable manner, or it may be made separate anddistinct from and be removably secured thereto, as in the ordinarycovered pails, or it may be made integral therewith, as shown in thedrawings. \Vithin this cover is formed a suitable aperture surrounded bya threaded collar or short tube 11, secured to the cover.

12 designates a suitable receptacle wherein I is placed the remedy ormedicine which it is desired to volatilize and the vapor of which it isdesired to administer to the nose, throat,

to extend considerably below said aperture,

said receptacle being provided at its upper extremity wit-l1 a flange orcollar 3, secured therearound and extending first outwardly from thereceptacle and then downwardly, forming in effect a kind of canopyaround the top of the receptacle and being threaded, the threads thereofbeing adapted to engage the threads of collar 11. In the wall of saidreceptacle or still and near the upper extremity thereof is placed oneor more apertures 13, thus forming an exit or vent for the escape of thesteam or vapor formed in vessel 1.

The reference-numeral at designates a stopper adapted to close the upperextremity of I still 12 hermetically on the outside and having asuitable tube 5, passing therethrough and secured therein by suitableplates or washers 9 and 10, soldered or otherwise secured thereto. Thisstopper is made, preferably, of india-rubber or other resilientmaterial, adapting it to close tightly the upper ex-- tremity of still12. Though tube 5 is prefer ably curved, as in Figs. 1 and'2, it may beapex of funnel-shaped nose-piece 17, is a large piece of cork, wood, orother material, which is a good non-conductor of heat, forming aconvenient handle 18, and being adapted to be grasped by the hand of theoperator while using my improved device. Around or on the edge offunnel-shaped nose-piece 17 is secured byv gluing, pasting, or by sewingthrough apertures made in the edge thereof, or in any other suitablemanner, a piece of felt, flannel, cotton, or other soft downy material21, adapting it to fit closely to the face without paining the same andpreventing the escape of the vapors arising from the remedy contained inreceptacle or still 12.

In the use of my improved device water or other suitable liquid isplaced in bucket 1, care being taken that there be not enough to enterreceptacle or still 12 through apertures 13 when said still is inoperative position. Receptacle or still 12 is then placed through theaperture surrounded by collar 11 and the cap or canopy ,3 screwed downupon collar 1]. It will be observed that now there is no escape for thevapors arising from the liquid'in bucket 1 except through vent or ventsl3 and thence through tube 6. The remedy or medicine-as, for example,oil of tarthe vapors of which it is desired to administer to the patientis placed in receptacle or still 12, stopper 4, with its connections,placed in position, and heat applied to the contents of vessell in anysuitable manner and to any desired degree. As a matter of fact, thecontents of vessel 1 will become heated and give off vapor before adegree of heat sufficient to cause the contents of still 12 to send offvapor in a proportionate profusion has been communicated thereto,thereby allowing the vapors of the remedial contents of receptacle orstill 12 to be applied to the mucous lining of the throat and nose in adiluted form at first. As this process proceeds, the contents of still12 gradually arrive at the same temperature as the contents of bucket orvessel 1. If the medicine is in a solid form, ithas been transformed toa liquid, and thus the vapors arising in' gradually-increasingquantities from the re-,

medial medicine andmixing with the comparatively'constant quantityarising from the contents of bucket 1 and passing through apertures 13,gradually raise the mixturej which passes through tube 6, and is inhaledby the patient through the nose-piece 17 to its maximum strength. Itwill be observed that this gradual increase in strength of the vaporswill have a tendency to accustom the mucous lining of the throat andnose to the stronger vapors without rendering it raw and making thetreatment disagreeable, injurious, and painful, thereby rendering thetreatment more pleasant and advantageous than by the use of ordinaryinhalers.

Having thus described my inventiomwhat I claim is 1. In an inhaler, themain vessel 1, provided with a close-fitting cover, having an aperturesurrounded by a threaded collar 11, the inner vessel or still 12,adapted to fit within the aperture in the cover, said still beingprovided with an aperture 13, and a threaded canopy 3, adapted to screwupon collar 11, the stopper 4 and tube 5 passing therethrough,substantially as described.

2. In an inhaler, the main vessel 1, the medicine-receptacle 12, adaptedto fit within vessel 1 and provided with apertures 13 and threadedcanopy 3, the stopper 4, adapted to seal tightly the upper extremity ofreceptacle 12, said stopper being composed of indiarubber or other goodnon-conductor of heat and having a tube 5 passing therethrough, saidtube being secured therein by washers 9 and 10, and the nose-piece 17,connected to the inhaler by the flexible tube 6, substantially asdescribed.

3. The combination, with a suitable inhaler, of a tube connectedtherewith and adapted to carry the vapors therefrom, said tube bein gprovided with a suitable nose or mouth piece 17, located at its outerextremity, and a handle 1 8, attached thereto and suitably locatedthereon, said handle being formed of cork or other material being a goodnon-conductor of heat, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. KINNEAR.

Witnesses:

AL. TOWNSEND, A. S. PETTIT.

